Changes made to Singapore circuit

The Singapore Grand Prix circuit has seen several small changes to the track, ahead of its third race next weekend. These adjustments have been made primarily to improve safety and driver comfort.

The Singapore Grand Prix track has been revised for this year

One of the most famous facts about the Singapore track is its notorious bumps, which are severely demanding on the car’s suspension and the drivers. After complaints from many drivers, the track has been resurfaced in 2 places: Between Turns 3 and 7, and between Turns 14 and 19.

The Turn 10 chicane, otherwise known as the “Singapore Sling”, a series of tight left-right twists, which caught out Kimi Raikkonen in 2008, have been changed again, after the final turn of the corner was revised in 2009. This year, the kerbs have been reprofiled, to reduce the chance of the cars being speared into the barriers if they go over the corner too fast.

The pit lane has been lowered by 1 centimetre compared to last year, which should make it easier to rejoin the track. Nico Rosberg running wide of the white line last year showed the instability of the pit lane exit.

Also, the aesthetic image of the track will be improved by the track walls now being painted in bright colours, and run-off areas also changed to look better.

Overall, good changes, but I would be disappointed if the track turned out to be nearly as smooth as many of the other tracks on the calendar. The bumps (and sparks from the cars) are part of many of the spectacles of Singapore, and it would be a pity to see it go just because the drivers are uncomfortable.